SHADOW OF THE IMPALER-THE FIRST SIRE
My sword slapped the sides of my boots as I paced anxiously in the forest clearing with three men and our steeds. The moon was full that night, and the raging bonfires of a nearby camp played upon our dark-clothed bodies. Finally, I stopped and lopped off the top of a few nearby weeds.
"Where is Matthias?" I demanded of one of my guides.
He looked up the road nervously. "Just a few moments, Prince Dracula; Matthias is very reliable. I'm sure that when he returns, what he has will be worth the wait."
I heard the pounding of hooves and turned to see a mounted figure approach. His Ponyta's flames showed excellent breeding, as far as I could tell. His beard and vanishing hairline were gray from lack of blood. He leaped off the horse and reached into his sack while kneeling. I motioned impatiently for him to rise.
"Prince Dracula, it took much gold and some time, but I have that information you asked for." He eagerly drew out some old papers and handed them over to me. I opened it and read the words, the account of a local prison warden. I paced a little again, and smiled.
"Thanks be to God, he's still alive."
Matthias nodded. "It appears that his years as a slave served him well, physically, my lord."
I sighed in relief. He was alive, and we would soon work together again, just like in the old days. Then, something unexpected happened.
"I apologize for my lateness, sir, but there is some sort of battle going on near the prison. Some gypsies are…"
I can't remember how I got on my horse or how I had sent it into such high speeds as I raced for the smell of burning flesh.
A wagon was right in the old dirt road. Someone had tried to whip his horses into high-speed. His corpse, the chest still wet and red with the blood that escaped from his neck, had its head slumped over, his eyes frozen in a mix of rage and terror. As I passed it, I could see the door on the back of his wagon was open, with a white arm hanging out and blood dripping from the bottom. Around me were burning wagons, corpses wrapped in bloodied sashes and rags with arrows emerging from their torsos, and wandering Pokemon that were looking for food from the camp.
I dismounted, and walked quietly, my ears trying to locate any signs of life.
A faint heartbeat echoed in the night…
I approached one wagon that had had it's front wheels torn violently off. Lying beside it were too older people; dead, with their ears cut off as trophies. I noticed something coming out of the wood of the carriage. The tip of a bastard sword*.
I threw open the door and climbed inside. My eyes could see a girl standing limp against the wall, the handle and most of the sword emerging from her stomach. I carefully approached her and listened a little. Her heartbeat remained, barely. Her breath was short and quiet.
I gripped the handle of the sword and pulled it out. She wailed in pain. I tossed the sword aside and grasped her carefully, leading her outside.
Once out of the wagon, I gently laid her on the ground. Her eyes opened, and they focused on my face.
"It has been a while, Lord Impaler," she said quietly.
"Constantia. Miklos?"
She weakly nodded, and coughed some blood into my face. I let out my tongue and licked the small flecks off.
"He…found us," she said, having to pause for deep breath, which only invited more blood to be evacuated onto my face, "He…took…auntie's gold ring…killed uncle…on sight." She grimaced as she lay there dying. She looked up at me pleadingly.
Constantia had watched her parents butchered, and now, the coward Miklos had murdered more of her innocent family.
What more perfect retribution?
My fangs emerged from my upper gums, and my eyes went red. I breathed quietly, inhaling some of her scent and searching for a vein. Finding one, I leaned over and pierced the jugular. She took a small, sharp gasp as I tasted her blood. Coming back up again, I opened my shirt and-with the long sharp nail on my right pointer finger-made a cut on my chest. Taking her head in my hand, I guided her hungry mouth to my wound. She opened her trembling lips and drank my blood, allowing the gift of undeath to take her.
I buried her under a willow tree, a few miles away. I then purchased a goblet and decanter. And picked up a wild Ratata as well. All that was needed now was a day for her to adjust…